'They had to do it' - Graham Smyth delivers verdict on Leeds United's latest signing
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Josuha Guilavogui will provide Leeds United with more ‘insurance’ in midfield, YEP reporter Graham Smyth has said. The midfielder has joined the Whites on a free transfer this week.
The 34-year-old, who has been available since the end of last season, cut ties with Mainz 05 this past summer and has since been weighing up his options in the game. He has now put pen-to-paper on a one-year deal at Elland Road.
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Hide AdSmyth has delivered his verdict on Leeds’ latest addition and said on the Inside Elland Road Podcast: “It is an interesting one isn’t it? It should be that little bit of insurance that they have been lacking. I was thinking the other day, imagine a scenario where they can bring off (Joe) Rothwell with 10 minutes to go when they’re winning 2-1 or 2-0 and bring on a defensive midfielder to completely shore things up and take all the risk out of the final stages.
“If he can play, if he can run, (then) great. They had to do it I think. Certainly they won’t get castigated on this podcast if it doesn’t work out or he doesn’t play, or if he picks up injuries. It’s just a shot for nothing, shooting to the moon really. They had to pull the trigger.”
After signing for Leeds, Guilavogui said: “When I spoke with our manager (Daniel Farke), he knows what I can bring on the pitch and also outside the pitch, because we don’t forget that we have injured players and I am there to help them. And when they will recover, I will also help the young players.
“That is why I was captain, like everywhere where I played, because I am someone that is always thinking about how can I make my teammates better, how can I improve. I am here for helping the team and I really hope that we will go to the Premier League.
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Hide Ad“It is always better to jump in the team when they are winning and I was there for the game against Sheffield United and it was a really amazing performance. They had no chance and we could have scored more than two goals. So, yeah, it is a really good feeling.”
Guilavogui spent nine years altogether at Wolfsburg from 2014 to 2023 and was a key player for the Bundesliga outfit. He made 181 appearances in all competitions and chipped in with eight goals, having previously been at AS Saint-Étienne and Atletico Madrid before them.
He left the Volkswagen Arena in 2023 and was subsequently snapped up by Mainz. The France-born man went on to play 12 times for them last term.
Leeds are sat in third in the table behind Sunderland and Burnley as they look to keep their momentum going. They won 2-1 at home to Watford last time out.
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Hide AdThe Whites are back in action this weekend with an away trip to Ashton Gate to lock horns with Bristol City. Their upcoming opponents fought back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 against Stoke City in their last match.
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